Shadows of the Past
by EinsamerWolf328
Summary: Ruby thought she knew her mother. But a run-in with an old friend makes it painfully obvious how little she knows.
1. Chapter 1

**Shadows of the Past**

**Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

"God, how far is it?" Yang moaned. The team had been sent to follow a group of hunters to gain more practical experience.

"Ozpin just said that we would meet them somewhere around here," Ruby replied. "I believe his exact words were 'You won't find them, they will find you.'"

"Great, so find us already," Yang yelled into the forest.

Suddenly, Blake perked up, sniffing the air. "I smell blood."

Everyone then took a battle stance and reached for their weapons. "Do you know where the smell is coming from?" Ruby asked.

Blake sniffed around, then pointed to the right. "Behind those branches."

"Alright, we'll take a look. Weiss, Yang, cover us." Ruby and Blake then slowly walked in the direction Blake pointed at while Weiss and Yang stayed behind, carefully observing their surroundings.

As they got closer, the blood smell also reached Ruby's nose, as they reached the branches it got so strong she was sure it's source was right there. She then looked over to Blake, who gave her a short nod before she reached out and pulled the branches back.

Ruby had to fight back a gasp. Four bodies, decapitated and left to rot. They were the hunters they were supposed to meet. "My god, what did this?"

"You mean who," Blake corrected her. "No monster keeps trophies."

"Huh?"

"The heads. Their gone. Then there's those things sticking out of their bodies." The bodies were pierced by what seemed to be small spears. "Someone went at them with a javelin gun."

(**)

A short distance away, a man was hiding under the bushes. He wore a brown overcoat, his shoulder-long light blond hair was mostly covered by a brown hat and the lower half of his face was hidden behind a dark cloth. He was lying on his stomache, a green eye with a slitted pupil peered through the scope of his javelin gun, focusing on Ruby.

_Silver eyes. Could it be?_

He then aimed for her, but in a way that any decent hunter could dodge. He then pulled the trigger.

(**)

Ruby's head shot around as her aura picked up on the projectile. She and Blake jumped back as it flew past them and shot into the ground.

The man then aimed behind him and pulled a second trigger, causing his weapon to fire a powerful blast that launched him forwards. As he flew towards Ruby, his weapon turned into a scythe and he swung it at her.

Ruby quickly ducked and pulled out Crescent Rose. She then swung it at him and he blocked the hit with his scythe.

He mustered Crescent Rose. "A scythe is a hard weapon to control. Let's see how good you are." He then pushed her back and aimed at her. As he fired the javelin, Ruby launched herself to the left.

Then the man launched himself backwards as Blake attacked him. He dodged Weiss as she tried to freeze him with Myrtenaster and ran between the trees as Yang fired blasts at him. He then jumped forward and used his scythe to spin around a tree and fly towards Weiss. He swung at her a few times, but as she dodged, he spun around himself and fired a blast to speed up. He hit Weiss in the chest with the back of the scythe, knocking her back into a tree.

He then turned towards Yang and threw the scythe at her. She ducked under it and it got stuck in a tree. He then engaged her in hand-to-hand combat. After exchanging a few punches and kicks, he pulled off one of his gloves and threw it in her face. She tried to jump back and pull it off, but he grabbed her scarf and kneed her in the gut. He then rammed his elbow against the back off her head, knocking her to the ground.

He then leaped forward as Blake and Ruby fired at him. He pulled his scythe out of the tree and opened fire on them.

As they dodged the javelins, he sliced through a tree and shot the trunk towards Blake. She managed to dodge it, but barely. While she was struggling to get up, he swung at Ruby, who blocked the hit.

They continued to exchange blows as they moved deeper into the forest. After Ruby ducked under another swing, she jumped up, sliced a tree and kicked the trunk towards him. He dodged the trunk by launching himself in the air with his scythe. While they were both in the air, he launched himself towards Ruby and knocked into her. While she was falling, he fired a javelin and pinned her to a tree by her cloak.

Upon landing on the ground, he sliced through the tree. The trunk fell back through the bushes, revealing the cliff just beyond, with a lake beneath.

As it fell, she tried to free herself. She finally succeeded just before the tree landed in the water. Ruby quickly swam to the shore. She tried to scan her surroundings, and her aura picked something up, but she didn't react in time. She felt a stinging pain as the javelin pierced her left leg. She looked back at the cliff and saw the man reloading his javelin gun.

She groaned as she slowly pulled the javelin out. After throwing it away, she tried to get up.

She didn't need her aura. She could hear the javelin coming just before it pierced her right shoulder and she collapsed on the ground.

After a few moments, she propped herself up on her elbow and tried to pull this one out as well. When she got it out halfway, she heard footsteps in the gravel. She was covered in a shadow as a booted foot stepped on her back. Ruby screamed as the javelin in her shoulder was twisted and pulled out in one swift move.

She was then kicked on her back and looked up at the man, who was now crouching over her.

She tried to reach for Crescent Rose. "Please, don't exert yourself. I won't kill you, Ruby."

She looked him in the eye. "How do you know my name?"

He chuckled. "I was there when you were born. I was at your parents' side when they named you."

"What?"

"It's not surprising that you don't know what I'm talking about. Considering what I've done."

She stared at him for a moment. "Who are you?"

"My name is Jaeger Wulff. If you wanna know more, just ask Ozzy." He then looked back at the cliff. "Time to go. See ya, Ruby. Hopefully, next time, you'll be more of a challenge." With that, he walked off. Ruby tried to get up again, then noticed someone approaching. Within a moment, Blake knelt down next to her. "Ruby! Are you alright?"

"I'm...fine, Blake." She groaned. "What about Yang? And Weiss?"

"They're fine."

"We...need to get back to Beacon."

Blake nodded. "We need to tell them about this." She wrapped Ruby's left arm around her shoulders and helped her up.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

Ruby was currently lying in the infirmary. She wasn't wearing her cloak, so the bandage on her shoulder was clearly visible. She turned at the sound of the door opening to see Professor Ozpin enter.

"Ruby. How are you?"

"I'm fine. What about the others?"

"They didn't suffer any severe injuries." He walked by her and looked out the window. "Blake reported the events to us. This scythe-wielder concerns me. Blake couldn't tell me much, I was hoping you might know more."

"Jaeger Wulff." Ozpin immediately raising his mug to his mouth and just stood there for a few moments.

He lowered his mug. "I feared as much."

"He said he knew me. And my parents. And that you could tell me more. Actually, he said 'Ozzy' could tell me more. I assume he meant you."

Ozpin nodded.

"Who is he?"

Ozpin hesitated, still staring out the window. "He was one of us. When we were students at Beacon, me, Glynda, Jaeger and your mother were a team."

Ruby lowered her gaze. "So, he was her friend."

"Her best friend."

(**)

_Ozpin looked around. The sight of Beacon was both magnificent and intimidating. Suddenly, he felt his right foot slip and he fell on his back. It took him a moment to realize what had happened. Then a girl appeared above him. She had long red hair and silver eyes. _

"_Are you alright?"_

"_I'm fine." She reached out towards him, he took her hand and she picked him up. _

"_What happened?"_

"_I slipped on something." He looked forward to see some sort of small canister on the ground. Then someone picked it up. Ozpin looked up to see that it was a faunus. His light blonde hair barely reached over his shoulders, his wolf ears twitched as his slitted green eyes stared down at the canister. _

"_Sorry 'bout that, mate," he said, looking up at Ozpin. "I knew I dropped it around here somewhere."_

"_Oh, no, it was my fault. I wasn't paying attention."_

_The faunus approached him and extended his arm. "Jaeger Wulff."_

_Ozpin hesitated before shaking his hand. "Ozpin."_

"_Pleased to meet you, Ozzy. And?" He turned to the girl._

"_Scarlet Rose. So, what's with the canister?"_

"_Contains pressurized gas. I fire a shot and get propelled into whatever direction I'm aiming."_

"_Aiming with what?"_

_He pulled out his scythe. "This."_

"_Woah. Is that a scythe?"_

"_It's also a javelin launcher."_

"_Awesome!" Scarlet beamed._

"_What have you got?"_

_Scarlet pulled out a sword. "It's also a rifle."_

"_Nice."_

_They got into a conversation about weapons and started walking, with Ozpin walking behind them._

_(**)_

_They had managed to pass the forest without many problems. Scarlet and Jaeger were now a team, as were Ozpin and Glynda. Ozpin was currently walking through a hallway when he saw Jaeger talking to another guy with blonde hair and blue eyes. Jaeger noticed Ozpin and waved._

"_Ozzy, meet Wei Xiao Long. He was the cause of that wildfire that broke out during the test."_

"_So he's responsible for all the Grimm that were driven towards us."_

"_Oh, c'mon, that was fun."_

"_Whatever. Scarlet said to meet in the courtyard."_

"_Got it. See ya later, Wei."_

"_Later, man." They fist-bumped and Jaeger and Ozpin walked on._

_(**)_

"_Ready, guys?" Scarlet asked. They had graduated from Beacon and were now fully fledged hunters. They were currently facing their first assignment: a hoard of Beowolves were currently surrounding them._

"_Wait, you mean we still get to bail?" Jaeger asked. His ears twitched and he ran his fingers through his beard._

"_You wish." With that, she pulled out her rifle and started shooting the Grimm. Jaeger unsheathed his scythe and launched himself forward, slicing through a group of Beowolves. Glynda waved her wand and launched energy blasts into the hoard. Ozpin dodged a few Beowolves that leaped towards him. He then raised his hand and a ray of light rose up from the ground as the Beowolves were launched into the air and smashed into the ground. _

_Scarlet sliced through a Beowolf when she noticed another one jumping towards her, but was pierced by a javelin. Jaeger then appeared at her side and they fought back to back. _

_Once they had taken care of the hoard, a large Beowolf appeared. It charged Jaeger, who tried to slice it, but his scythe couldn't penetrate its fur. He then dodged a strike and jumped back towards Scarlet. _

"_What now?"_

"_Hold up your scythe horizontally."_

"_Right," he complied. She jumped up on it._

"_Launch me towards it."_

_He activated the pressure gun on his scythe, spun around once and then Scarlet jumped towards the Beowolf and, in one swift move, beheaded it._

"_Piece of cake," she said after landing. _

"_You guys okay?" Jaeger asked Ozpin and Glynda. They both nodded._

"_Alright, we're done here," Scarlet said. "Wanna grab a drink, Jaeger?"_

"_Hell yeah."_

_With that, they left the field._

_(**)_

_Ozpin wandered Beacon. Now that he was headmaster, it felt different wandering the courtyard. Suddenly, he saw something out of the corner of his eye. Jaeger, Wei, John, Scarlet's husband._

"_What do you want, John?"_

"_I've tolerated you long enough, freak! But I will not let some faunus contaminate my family."_

"_John, please," Wei tried to interfere. He ran his fingers through his beard. "There's no reason to get so hostile."_

"_Damnit, Wei. This animal has been following my wife around ever since we met. I won't allow it."_

"_I don't need your allowance to hang out with a friend."_

"_Watch your tongue, dog!"_

"_Enough!" Ozpin interrupted them. "I will not tolerate this on my campus, got it?!"_

_The two looked at him, still fuming with anger, but complied._

"_This isn't over, dog!"_

"_Right back at you, bastard!"_

_With that, they dispersed._

_(**)_

"That was the last time I saw Jaeger," Ozpin finished.

He turned towards Ruby, who was staring at him. "My father...was a racist?"

Ozpin nodded. "Oh yeah. Somehow, you're mother managed to overlook it. Anyway, after you were born, Jaeger went missing and your father was killed."

"By Jaeger?"

Ozpin waited a moment. "Your mother wouldn't say. And then," he hesitated.

"And then?"

"She died."

Ruby's heart sank. What exactly was he telling her?

"Are...are you saying Jaeger killed my mother?"

"I'm not saying anything. After encountering those Beowolves, we drifted apart. I told you everything I know. If you want the whole story..."

"I'll have to ask Jaeger."

"If what I'm thinking is right, then that man has killed many highly trained hunters. You can't face him."

Of course. Seeking out the homicidal madman was a horrible idea. But she just had to know. She needed to know to her mother's best friend that he became like this.

"I'm tired."

"Alright, I'll leave you alone," he said as he walked away. He stopped at the door. "Remember what I said." He then closed the door behind him.

She lied down and thought. She needed to train. Needed to prepare. Jaeger was waiting for her. And she was eager to face him.


End file.
